In its Strategic Plan, EFSA outlines how it will maximise the benefits of the scientific expertise at its disposal across Europe and strengthen its integrated approach to risk assessment to provide Europe’s decision makers with relevant, up-to-the-minute scientific advice.

EFSA’s 2009 priorities, set out in the Management Plan, include the renewal of 8 of its 10 Panels and its Scientific Committee. It also plans to ensure the delivery and strengthen the quality of its scientific advice, boost its strategy on cooperation and networking by increasing the number of bodies that can help the Authority with work such as data collection to 366 organisations through contracts and grants worth €7.5 million.

EFSA will in 2009 also strengthen its capacity to identify emerging risks and develop a strategic approach to international activities while ensuring a stimulating and rewarding environment for its staff.

Executive Director Catherine Geslain-Lanéelle told the Board EFSA had almost doubled its scientific outputs in 2008 compared to last year, while the number of staff had increased by 27 percent.

EFSA also demonstrated its ability to respond rapidly to urgent events by assembling teams of experts to provide scientific advice and assistance within days on such issues as the contamination of sunflower oil, the discovery of melamine in imported Chinese milk products and of dioxins in Irish pork.

Among other achievements, the food safety watchdog began an internal review to assess the quality of its scientific work and established an online database for the declarations of all staff and scientific experts to guarantee maximum transparency. An external review will follow in 2009.

EFSA was helped in its work by its strengthened cooperation with Member States, its ever-widening network of experts, its dialogue with risk managers, its improvements in efficiency and productivity and by the efforts of all of its staff, Geslain-Lanéelle said.

Statement by Diána Bánáti, Chair of the Management Board

"2008 was a busy and challenging year for the European Food Safety Authority. There were concerns recently raised in public, at various places, by various people, and important events happened, such as the EP hearing at ENVI Committee. The Management Board wants to ensure that EFSA is going in the right direction, working efficiently in order to get the necessary support from the Board. All questions raised by the Parliament are crucial and important. We were briefed by the Executive Director, who provided all necessary information in detail. We received a good summary of events and meetings that have happened. The Board has been thoroughly informed. We discussed quality, independence and staff issues in detail, and in a very conscious way. There is ongoing discussion on these aspects of EFSA's work, for example, scientific quality, workload to be handled, etc. We are satisfied with the explanations we got, the answers regarding the progress made, the results of the survey, and the follow up activities. We endorse the Executive Director's vision with regards to the staff survey, and we feel convinced that EFSA is moving forward in the right way."